Brexit Briefing: Weekly news roundup

Welcome to Unite Brexit Check’s weekly news briefing on the UK’s exit from the EU.

Check back every Friday for an overview of the week’s Brexit-related political, industrial and economic developments.

Brexit negotiations:

Theresa May admitted Brexit negotiations have hit “difficulty” as she urged EU leaders to clear the way for a deal she can sell to British voters.

The Prime Minister made the concession for the first time at a working dinner with the heads of the remaining 27 EU states in Brussels. (Evening Standard)

European leaders pushed Theresa May to offer more in Brexit talks while also encouraging the British prime minister to aim for a December deadline to move negotiations on to trade.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said some progress had been made and work should continue so that trade talks could start in December.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar also said it should be possible to start talking trade by year-end if conditions are met. (Bloomberg)

European leaders are “bemused and confused” by Britain’s attitude towards the Brexit negotiations, according to Jeremy Corbyn, who met Michel Barnier and three continental prime ministers on his visit to Brussels. (Guardian)

Economy:

Scottish firms will begin a jobs exodus within months to avoid the Brexit”cliff-edge”, one of the country’s leading economists has warned.

Professor Anton Muscatelli said businesses would move evermore operations abroad early next year to prepare for a “no deal Brexit”, leaving the EU without a trade agreement. (Herald)

European car manufacturers say their supply chains face irrevocable damage without a “meaningful” Brexit transition deal in place by the end of the year.

Their warning comes as workers from two of the UK’s biggest manufacturers join forces to signal their alarm at the impact of a hard Brexit on jobs. (FT)

Politics:

The Government has delayed its flagship Brexit bill amid concern it could be defeated in a Commons revolt.

MPs were due to debate the second stage of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill next week but Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said there would be a “pause” in the key legislation when she was outlining upcoming business for the days ahead. (Independent)

Tory rebels are teaming up with Labour to give MPs a formal veto to allow them to block a no deal Brexit, John McDonnell has claimed.

The shadow chancellor said Labour will “not countenance” the UK leaving the EU without a deal and he believes there is not a majority in the House of Commons willing to sign off on such a withdrawal from the bloc. (The Telegraph)

In depth:

Brexit triggers a great car parts race for UK auto industry. EU exit will damage competitiveness if carmakers cannot source more components at home (FT)